May Book - The Kitchen House

Our current book is The Kitchen House by Kathleen Grissom.  It is historical fiction about an Irish girl who is orphaned and becomes an indentured servant, living and working alongside the house slaves in the kitchen house of a Virginia plantation during the late 1700’s, early 1800’s.  We will be meeting at Jen H.'s house on Thursday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m.

Check out Kathleen Grissom's website for more information about her and her book:  http://www.kathleengrissom.com/

Publishers Weekly Review:

Grissom’s unsentimental debut twists the conventions of the antebellum novel just enough to give readers an involving new perspective on what would otherwise be fairly stock material. Lavinia, an orphaned seven-year-old white indentured servant, arrives in 1791 to work in the kitchen house at Tall Oaks, a Tidewater, Va., tobacco plantation owned by Capt. James Pyke. Belle, the captain’s illegitimate half-white daughter who runs the kitchen house, shares narration duties, and the two distinctly different voices chronicle a troublesome 20 years: Lavinia becomes close to the slaves working the kitchen house, but she can’t fully fit in because of her race. At 17, she marries Marshall, the captain’s brutish son turned inept plantation master, and as Lavinia ingratiates herself into the family and the big house, racial tensions boil over into lynching, rape, arson, and murder. The plantation’s social order’s emphasis on violence, love, power, and corruption provides a trove of tension and grit, while the many nefarious doings will keep readers hooked to the twisted, yet hopeful, conclusion.

April Book & More

Author Presentation:
Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, is speaking in Naperville at North Central's Pfieffer Hall on Wednesday, April 20 at 7:00 p.m.  This event is sponsored by Naperville Reads.  Free tickets are available at Anderson's Bookshop and the Naperville Public Library.  Get your free tickets and meet us for the talk and then drinks at Quigley's after the program.  Naperville Reads is also sponsoring Anthony Horowitz on Tuesday, April 12.  For more info:  http://napervillereads.org/ 

April Book:
Join us in reading The Imperfectionists by Tom Rachman for our April book club.  It is almost a collection of short stories, but they tie together because each one is connected to a small international newspaper published in Rome. We will meet at Cathy G's house on April 28 at 7:30 p.m.

Synopsis

"Set against the gorgeous backdrop of Rome, Tom Rachman’s wry, vibrant debut follows the topsy-turvy private lives of the reporters, editors, and executives of an international English language newspaper as they struggle to keep it—and themselves—afloat.
Fifty years and many changes have ensued since the paper was founded by an enigmatic millionaire, and now, amid the stained carpeting and dingy office furniture, the staff’s personal dramas seem far more important than the daily headlines. Kathleen, the imperious editor in chief, is smarting from a betrayal in her open marriage; Arthur, the lazy obituary writer, is transformed by a personal tragedy; Abby, the embattled financial officer, discovers that her job cuts and her love life are intertwined in a most unexpected way. Out in the field, a veteran Paris freelancer goes to desperate lengths for his next byline, while the new Cairo stringer is mercilessly manipulated by an outrageous war correspondent with an outsize ego. And in the shadows is the isolated young publisher who pays more attention to his prized basset hound, Schopenhauer, than to the fate of his family’s quirky newspaper.
As the era of print news gives way to the Internet age and this imperfect crew stumbles toward an uncertain future, the paper’s rich history is revealed, including the surprising truth about its founder’s intentions.
Spirited, moving, and highly original, The Imperfectionists will establish Tom Rachman as one of our most perceptive, assured literary talents."  (Barnes and Noble)

Find out more about the book and the author at http://tomrachman.com/

March Book

We read This is Where I Leave You by Jonathan Tropper for our March book club.  We had a small turnout, but a lively discussion.  Most of us could relate to using humor in painful situations!  If you were unable to attend but read the book, please feel free to comment!

If you liked the book and want to find out more about the author, check out his website:
http://jonathantropper.com/

February (and January) Books

February's book is Sarah's Key by Tatiana de Rosnay.  Read about France's role in the Holocaust as de Rosnay explores the Vel’ d’Hiv’ roundup.  We are meeting at Jenny's house.

Publishers Weekly Review

In the summer of 1942, the French police arrested thousands of Jewish families and held them outside of Paris before shipping them off to Auschwitz. On the 60th anniversary of the roundups, an expatriate American journalist covering the atrocities discovers a personal connection—her apartment was formerly occupied by one such family. She resolves to find out what happened to Sarah, the 10-year-old daughter, who was the only family member to survive. The story is heart-wrenching, and Polly Stone gives an excellent performance, keeping a low-key tone through descriptions of horror that would elicit excessive dramatics from a less talented performer. Her characters are easy to differentiate, and her French accent is convincing. De Rosnay's novel is captivating, and the powerful narration gives it even greater impact. A St. Martin's hardcover. (June)

Visit her U.S. website: http://us.macmillan.com/author/tatianaderosnay  

In January, we discussed The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein.  Thank you, Joan, for hosting!

Publishers Weekly Review

If you've ever wondered what your dog is thinking, Stein's third novel offers an answer. Enzo is a lab terrier mix plucked from a farm outside Seattle to ride shotgun with race car driver Denny Swift as he pursues success on the track and off. Denny meets and marries Eve, has a daughter, Zoë, and risks his savings and his life to make it on the professional racing circuit. Enzo, frustrated by his inability to speak and his lack of opposable thumbs, watches Denny's old racing videos, coins koanlike aphorisms that apply to both driving and life, and hopes for the day when his life as a dog will be over and he can be reborn a man. When Denny hits an extended rough patch, Enzo remains his most steadfast if silent supporter. Enzo is a reliable companion and a likable enough narrator, though the string of Denny's bad luck stories strains believability. Much like Denny, however, Stein is able to salvage some dignity from the over-the-top drama. (May)
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Find out more about Garth Stein at http://www.garthstein.com